Pichler, Magdalena (1881–1920)
Pichler, Magdalena (1881–1920)
German novelist. Name variations: (pseudonym) Lena Christ. Born Magdalena Pichler, Oct 30, 1881, in Glonn, Oberbayern, Bavaria; committed suicide by cyanide after being accused of forgery, June 30, 1920, in Munich, Germany; illeg. dau. of a cook; grew up with grandparents in Bavaria; m. Anton Lex (accountant), 1901 (sep. 1909); married Peter Benedix (writer under Peter Jerusalem); children: (1st m.) 6.
At 8, was brought to Munich to work in the inn of her stepfather and was exploited; at 19, married an alcoholic and had 6 children; came down with TB which brought on economic difficulties; tried to make money by forgery and was threatened with imprisonment; wrote the semi-autobiographical Erinnerungen einer Überflüssigen (Memoirs of a Superflous Woman, 1912); other writings include Mathias Bichler (1914), Die Runplhanni (1916), and Madam Bäuerin (1919). Die Rumplhanni was made into a successful film.